Fastening device.



.T. C. DQREDANT & J. V. HARRINGTON.

FASTENING DEVICE- APPLICATION FILED APR. I1. 1916.

1 1 96, ll 6., Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

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LOUISIANA.

FASTENING DEVICE.

Application filed April 17, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THEQDORE CHARLES DonnoAN'r and J OSEPH V. HARRINGTON, citi- Zens of the United States, residing at New Orleansin the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastening Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a fastening device for shoes, its primary object being to provide such a device which may be released by a single movement of the thumb and forefinger and which, when released, will automatically move to its lowest position, thus loosening the shoe.

Other objects are to provide a fastening which may be applied to any shoe of the lacing type and to improve the construction of such devices, all of which objects are accomplished by the construction, arrangement and combination of parts all as hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a front elevation of our device as applied to a shoe, the latter being broken away, in closed and secured position; Fig. 2, a similar view in released and loosened position: Fig. 3, a rear elevation of one of the guide or runway strips; Fig. 4;, a detail perspective view of one of the locking and releasing slides 9; and Fig. 5, a sectional View on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, A designates the two flaps of the shoe. Two guides, strips or run-ways 1 having integral lugs 2 bent under from the inner edge of each strip are secured to the respective flaps A by means of a thread, fastening staple or other suitable means 3 passing through perforations 4 in each of the lugs 2, each lug or strap 2 being provided with two of these perforations 1 near its outer end, which extends beyond the outer edge of its strip or guide 1. Each of these strips or guides 1 is provided near its lower end and inner edge with a perforation 5 and has its upper and outer part cut away to receive the slides 9 in their normal position and to form shoulders 6 to be engaged by the lower edge of said slides 9 when in such position, preventing their descent until forced out laterally to release them from such engage ment. The upper end of each of these guides or strips 1 is turned under in the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1916.

Serial No. 91,621.

form of a fiat parallel lug 15 in order to form a stop, preventing the slides 9 from being pulled upward off the ends of the strips or guides 1.

A series of slides 7 are arranged to slide up and down. on each guide 1 and are of U-shape, fitting over the guide 1, and have their inner ends provided each with two perforations 8. Each of'these two series is arranged on each guide 1 next below a lockmg and releasing slide 9, which is provided with a similar pair of perforations 8 and also with an upset finger piece 10, by which it is easily forced laterally out of engagement with its respective shoulder 6 and thus released, as above mentioned.

A helical spring 11 has the last loop of each of its ends passed through the respective perforations 5 in the lower inner parts of the guides 1 and bent over, securing the ends of this spring 11 to the respective guides 1. A series of similar springs 12 are similarly secured in the perforations 8 of the slides 7 and in the lower perforation of each of the locking and releasing slides 9. The middle portion of the spring 11 and of the lower spring 12 are secured together by means of a wire loop 18, or equivalent means, and the remaining springs 12 are similarly secured together at their middle portions in pairs by similar wire loops 13, so that all of the spring 12 and spring 11 will act together as a unit, together constituting a single resilient means for drawing the flaps of the shoe toward each other, or for automatically loosening the flaps of the shoe and allowing them to spread. A similar helical spring 14 is similarly secured to the slides 9, the end loops passing through the upper perforations 8 of said slides 9.

To fasten the shoe, the spring IA is taken hold of and pulled upward, causing the slides 9 and, through the springs 12 and loops 13, the slides 7, to travel upward, putting the springs 11 and 12 under tension. When the slides 9 have traveled upward to a point where they engage the stops 15, their lower edges will be above the shoulders 6 and the upper springs 12, being under tension, will then pull them laterally inward. The spring 14 is then released and the upper spring 12 holds these slides 9 in their inner lateral position and, thus held, they hold the flaps closed by holding the springs 11 and 12 under tension.

, or NEW ORLEANS,

' To loosen the shoe the slides 9 are forced laterally outward, by bearing with the thumb and forefinger on the finger pieces 10, until their lower edges are clear of the shoulders 6 and, there being nothing to hold them in their upper positions, the springs 11 and 12 will contract, pulling the slides 9 and 7 down to their lowest positions automatically and allowing the flaps A to be spread.

Any suitable materials may be used, metal being preferred by us, however, for all elements.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fastening device consisting of two guidesadapted to be secured to the edges of the respective flaps of a shoe and a helical spring connecting the lower parts of said guides, in combination with U-shaped slides traveling longitudinally on the respective guides, helical springs extending across the interval between said guides and connecting said slides, 'wire loops connecting said springs at their middle portions in pairs in such manner thatthey act as a unit, and a spring connecting the upper slide on each strip and serving as a grip, the guides being cut-out at their upper parts to receive the upper slides and to formshoulders to be engaged by the lower edges of the upper slides when they are in their normal positions, and having their upper ends turned under to form stops preventing the upper slides from being pulled off the, guides.

2. A fastening device consisting of two guides adapted to be secured to the respective flaps of a shoe and a resilient element connecting the lower ends of said guides, in combination with means traveling on and longitudinally of said guides, means for locking these traveling means in their uppermost positions, resilient means connecting said traveling means across the interval between said guides and means connecting said resilient means and said resilient element together in pairsto' act as a unit.

3. A fastening device consisting of means adapted to be secured to the respective flaps Copies of this patent may be obtained for of a shoe and an element connecting their lower ends, in combination with a series of slides traveling on each of said means,

a series of resilient flexible means connecting said slides across the interval between the means first mentioned, said flexible means and said element being connected together in pairs to act as a unit and said means first mentioned being provided in each instance with a shoulder to be engaged by the upper slide of its series when said slide is in its normal position.

4. A pair of guides adapted to be attached to the flaps of a shoe and each having its upper portion cut-out to receive a slide and to form a shoulder to act as a stop, preventing the downward movement of said slide until released, and means connecting said guides near their lower ends, in combination with a series of slides traveling on each of said guides, the upper slide of each series being provided with an upset finger piece, resilient means connecting said slides across the interval between said guides, and means connecting said resilient means to act as a unit, said resilient means pulling the upper side of each series laterally inward when in its upper position so that its lower edge may engage with the shoulder of its respective guide to prevent the descent of said slide until released.

5. A pair of guides adapted to be secured to the respective flaps of a shoe and provided with shoulders near their upper ends, in combination with a series of slides traveling on each guide, and resilient means connecting said guides together and said slides together across the interval between said guides, the upper slide of each series when in its highest position engaging the shoulder of its respective guide with its lower edge.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE CHARLES DOREDANT. JOSEPH VICTOR HARRINGTON. Witnesses FRANCIS CONWAY, ALrI-IoNsE J CUNEo.

Washington, D. G. 

